Eat Lafayette - Nash's Restaurant

Posted: June 16, 2014

To celebrate EatLafayette taking place June 16 - September 1 we will be featuring one of the more than 80 participating restaurants each week on our blog. This week we are featuring Nash's Restaurant.
Nash Barreca is a third generation restaurateur from New Orleans where he began his culinary career at Franks, his grandfathers steakhouse. At 15 years old Nash found himself immersed in all elements of the restaurant business from waiting tables to working banquets and even washing dishes. His grandfathers employees acted as his personal culinary school teaching him everything he needed to know about cooking including how to make some southern staples including a gravy, gumbo, bread pudding and more.
Nash first got acquainted with the Acadiana area in the early 80s when he worked for an offshore catering company. It was here where he met his wife, a Marksville native who resided in Lafayette and whose parents lived in Broussard. Ironically, he attended a company Christmas party in the home that is now Nashs Restaurant and it was love at first sight, but he never thought it would one day be home to his own restaurant.
In 1987 his brother opened up the familys second restaurant, Barrecas on Old Metairie Road in New Orleans where it quickly became a local favorite. Nash worked with his brother at the restaurant for 12 years before deciding to open up his own place. He didnt want to compete with his brother in New Orleans so he began looking at other cities and eventually landed in the old Victorian home where he attended a company Christmas party over a decade ago.
It was nice to come back to Acadiana; the people here have always been really good to us.
Nashs restaurant boasts a menu of over 50 items that are all made to order and influenced by his northern Italian roots along with fresh seafood and top choice steaks, a homage to his grandfather. Nash has also added some local staples to the menu including crawfish touffe, shrimp dishes, duck, gumbo and the like. Some of the local favorites Nash recommends are the veal orleans, veal and spinach cannelloni, crab meat au gratin and soft shell crabs when theyre available.
At Nashs you can expect a family oriented restaurant that will make you feel at home with an accommodating menu and staff. One of the things Nashs prides themselves on is getting to know what their customers like. Whether you have a craving for something off the menu, a food allergy or restricted diet, if Nashs has the ingredients in the kitchen they can make it for you no problem.
If someone makes a special request and we have the ingredients in the kitchen we will cook it up for them no problem.
Nashs Restaurant is located 10 minutes from Downtown Lafayette off of I-49 South on the corner of North Morgan Street and East Second Street in Broussard. They are open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 9 p.m., Fridays 11 a.m. 10 p.m. and Saturdays 5 10 p.m. You can visit their website by clicking here and you can stay up to date on weekly specials and more by liking their Facebook page here.
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Nashs Grilled Stuffed Salmon with Fresh Dill Sauce and CapersIngredients
Two 8oz filet portions Fresh Atlantic Salmon (found in most grocery stores)
One 8oz bag of fresh baby spinach; Remove stems
One teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
One tablespoon Zatarain's Creole Mustard
Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Slice the salmon in the middle from the sides of the fillet to form a pocket.
In a mixing bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients well using a wooden spoon.
Take a mixture and stuff the pockets of the salmon. Stuff each salmon well with mix; spinach will reduce down when cooked.
Salt and pepper to taste.
In a hot cast iron skillet, heat thin layer of olive oil and cook salmon on both sides. When cooked to your choice of temp, plate with sides of your choice.
Fresh Dill Sauce (Optional)
In a saut pan over medium heat, saut down in following order:
Using a piano whip, melt 1 teaspoon unsalted butter. 1 teaspoon flour.
Make a white roux, and then add 2oz low sodium chicken stock, 1 tablespoon fresh dill.
Mix well, then add 6oz of heavy whipping cream and 1 tablespoon capers.
Let reduce down for 3 minutes until you get the thickness you desire.
Remove from stove and serve over cooked salmon.